Competitors paddled the boats during the annual Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong on Monday. Dragon boat racing dates back more than 2,000 years and has developed into a serious sport on the calendar of many countries around the world.

Competitors paddled the boats during the annual Dragon Boat Festival in Hong Kong on Monday. Dragon boat racing dates back more than 2,000 years and has developed into a serious sport on the calendar of many countries around the world.

A boat captain reached for the winning flag during a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei on Monday. Dragon boat races are held in remembrance of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned himself in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption.

A boat captain reached for the winning flag during a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei on Monday. Dragon boat races are held in remembrance of Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned himself in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption.

A Chinese musician in traditional imperial attire played a flute while performing versions of ancient music as part of the activities to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival at the Divine Music Administration of the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing on Saturday.

A Chinese musician in traditional imperial attire played a flute while performing versions of ancient music as part of the activities to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival at the Divine Music Administration of the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing on Saturday.

Residents made zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, at a celebration of the coming Dragon Boat Festival in Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang province.

Residents made zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, at a celebration of the coming Dragon Boat Festival in Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang province.